AB0882 ADVANCED GLYCATION END PRODUCTS IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS
Authors: L. Triginer, L. Tío, I. Carrion, A. Guillen-Del-Castillo, A. Ribes, L. Valencia Muntalà, J. Monfort, T. C. Salman, A. Pros, J. Narváez, C. P. Simeon Aznar
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Studies have postulated that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) could have a relevant role as inducers in the chronic inflammatory pathway present in various diseases -- including systemic sclerosis (SSc). Similarly, that the concentration of AGEs maybe related to nailfold capillaroscopy SSc changes, the diffuse skin subtype, or calcinosis. Validation studies have shown that skin autofluorescence is strongly related to AGEs levels in skin biopsies. <h3>Objectives</h3> To characterize and identify association between the concentrations of AGEs, measured by cutaneous autofluorescence, and disease parameters in SSc patients. <h3>Methods</h3> AGEs concentrations were measured by skin autofluorescence (Age Reader Mu Connect from Diagnostics Technologies BV®) in 179 SSc patients and correlated with demographic and clinical data. Cumulated AGEs were distributed in tertiles. Categorical data was described with frequencies, whereas continuous variables were displayed as mean (standard deviation). ANOVA tests were conducted to explore the linear association of demographics and clinical features with the cumulated AGEs value. Regression models were adjusted by age (M1), and also by smoking status (M2 = M1 + smoker). <h3>Results</h3> Table 1 shows the distribution and correlation of the most relevant patients characteristics studied according to AGEs levels classified in tertiles. Male gender (p-value M1=0.008, M2=0.003) and anticentromere antibodies (ACA) (p-value M1=0.010, M2=0.034) were statistically significant associated with higher AGEs levels. In addition, AGEs levels were inversely correlated with obesity as a categorical variable with statistical significance (p-value M1=0.036, M2=0.022). Although not statistically significant, there was a trend towards higher values of AGES (p-value 0.05 - 0.1) in patients with esophageal involvement and skin manifestations (either diffuse or limited cutaneous subtype) and lower prevalence of anti-topoisomerase antibodies (ATA). No associations with other characteristics were found. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Higher AGEs levels were independently associated to male gender, ACA positivity and inversely with obesity. AGEs might be involved in the aethiopathological pathways leading to skin and esophageal manifestations. Finally, the disease mechanism in obese SSc patients might indicate a milder disease, as they present lower AGEs values, opposing to what has been described in healthy subjects. This could indicate less severe gastrointestinal disease leading to malnourishment. <h3>References</h3> [1]Murray, Andrea K., <i>et al</i>. The Journal of Rheumatology 39.8 (2012): 1654-1658. [2]Kaloudi, O., <i>et al</i>. Rheumatology 46.3 (2007): 412-416. [3]Davies, Christine A., <i>et al</i>. Rheumatology 48.8 (2009): 876-882. [4]Meerwaldt R., <i>et al</i>. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2005;1043:290–298. [5]Villanueva-Martin, G., <i>et al</i>. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 6014. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> Project "202022-33" is funded by FUNDACIÓ LA MARATÓ DE TV3 <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.